Metallic culvert.



PATENTED OCT. 3, 1905.

J. E. SPERRY. METALLIC GULVERT.

APPLICATION FILED 11110.10, 1904.

2 SHBETS-SHEET 1.

DIS. a mum cm HMO-mandamus wumucrou. a c.

PATENTED OCT. 3, 1905. J. E. SPERRY. METALLIC OULVERT. APPLICATION TIL ED DEC-10, 1904.

2 SHEETS SHEET 2 of Q UNITED STAEES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 1905.

Application filed December 10, 1904:. Serial No. 236,302.

To a, whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN E. SPERRY, of Munnsville, in the county of Madison, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Metallic Culverts, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to the class of culverts which are formed of metal, and in some respects the invention is specially designed for metallic culverts composed of longitudinal sections and subjected to expansion by frost in the ground, particularly at the ends of the culverts. p

The object of the present invention is to provide a culvert of this character with parapets at its ends which shall effectually brace the banks of earth thereat to prevent the same from sliding or falling away through the effects of frost, rain, Sac. and which shall relieve the culvert from undue strain incident to the upheaval of the ground caused by the action of the frost, more particularly at the ends of the culvert.

To that end the invention consists in the novel construction of the culvert hereinafter described, and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an end portion of a culvert embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on line X X in Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a transverse section of a parapet taken on the line Y Y in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an end view of the culvert, showing a modification of the parapet; and Fig. 6 is a plan view of said parapet.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the culvert, which is formed of any suitable metal and is preferably of triangular shape in cross-section. This culvert is composed of longitudinal sections consisting of grooved plates a, forming the walls thereof, and similar sections b,constituting the bottom. These walls are loosely joined together and likewise joined with the bottom to allow the parts to expand and contract incident to the action of the frost in the ground, especially at the ends thereof, said expansion preventing the same from cracking. Said walls and bottom may be united in any suitable manner which shall allow said expansion and contraction. I prefer, however, to provide the meeting edges of the walls and bottom With interlocking tongues t t and notches n n, as clearly shown in Fig. l of the drawings.

B denotes a parapet or breast which is composed of a vertical metallic plate, one being disposed at each end of the culvert. This parapet is preferably made of cast metal and is of rectangular shape and formed with an opening extending from its bottom edge. The opening is shaped correspondingly with the side Walls of the culvert, whereby the said parapet straddles the walls. Said parapet is provided With suitable shoulders or offsets 0 0, by which it is seated removably on steps d (Z, formed on the lower portions of the side walls. The end sections of said walls are formed with flanges e 0, against which the parapet abuts, and is thus restrained against outward movement.

By supporting the parapet in the above manner the end sections of the walls of the culvert are permitted to freely expand .and contract through the action of the frost in the ground surrounding the sections, thereby preventing the same from cracking.

The end portions of the meeting edges of the side walls a a of the culvert are cut off horizontally, as indicated at f, to correspond with a like shaped top portion g of the opening, thereby forming a saddle for the parapet.

At opposite sides of the opening near the bottom edge of the parapet areprovided lugs 62', projecting from the inner face thereof. These lugs form ground supports for the parapet to relieve the aforesaid steps (Z (Z of the side walls and shoulders 0 0 of the parapet from strain of the weight of the latter on the culvert. I prefer to provide the inner face of the said parapet with a transverse rib a, by which it obtains a hold on the ground.

The wall-sections of the culvert and the bottom sections are provided, respectively, with transversely-disposed ribs 6 Z) 0 0,which serve to strengthen the same and also to afford a hold of the culvert on the ground to prevent the same from shifting longitudinally.

When the parapet is applied to a large culvert, I prefer to form the same of two or more sections, lapped one upon the other and united by rivets cZ' cl or other fastening means, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings.

In order to strengthen the parapet above the opening, I cast the same thicker thereat in the form of a keystone, as indicated at c.

It will be observed that by supporting the parapets vertically movable on the side walls of the culvert the latter are permitted to be separated and drawn together at their tops by the action of frost in the ground.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The combination with a sectional eXpan sible culvert composed of curved metallic plates and the end I plates each formed at its outer end with a flange. of parapets consisting of metallic plates straddling the culvert and abutting against said flanges as set forth.

2. The combination With an expansible metallic culvert composed of sections, and provided with supports on its opposite side at each end, of parapets composed of metallic plates straddling the end portions of the culvert and seated on said supports as set forth.

3. The combination With an expansible metallic culvert composed of sections and formed with flanges on its ends and the flanges provided on their inner faces with lugs disposed at opposite sides of the culvert, of parapets consisting of metallic plates formed to straddle the end portions of the culvert and abutting against said flanges and provided with shoulders at their lower edges by which they are seated on the aforesaid lugs as set forth.

4. The combination with an expansible metallic culvert composed of sections and formed with lugs on its opposite sides, of parapets loosely straddling the end portions of the culvert and each consisting of a metallic plate formed of two overlapping sections provided with shoulders at their lower edges by which they are seated upon the aforesaid lugs as set forth.

JOHN E. SPERRY. [1,. s] Witnesses:

MARY STANFORD, S. A. LAVINE. 

